Vegan street food as good as (or better) than Bombay
Mumbai is known for its street foods. Until recent years, good renditions of them were hard to come by in Toronto. It was difficult to find a Bombay restaurant in the first place. Today, there are more choices available and Bombay Bakers is the best I know of for quality and cost. I’m frankly amazed at how they can keep prices competitive with India.
The foods of Mumbai (Bombay)
For less worldly readers, Bombay is the old colonial name for Mumbai, the financial and movie capital of India. Other than its snacks, it doesn’t have a distinctive cuisine, taking its cue from neighbouring regions like inland Maharashtra, the Konkan coast, and Gujarat state. Endemic to the area is the endangered Parsi cuisine, brought over by Persian immigrants a thousand years ago and adapted to local tastes.
While Parsi food is rare in Toronto, these Mumbai street snacks are easy to find. Nearly all are vegan.
- Bhel puri: Savoury mix of rice puffs, fried bits, boiled potato cubes, and chutneys.
- Falooda: Rose syrup drink that is found from Iran to Indonesia. The one in Mumbai comes with layers of vermicelli jelly, basil seeds, and a scoop of ice cream.
- Pani puri: Crisp shells filled with chickpeas and doused in sauces.
- Papdi chaat: Savoury mix of round crackers, fried bits, yoghurt, and chutneys.
- Pav bhaji: Bread rolls with a dip of mashed curry vegetables.
- Vada pav: Deep-fried potato patty sandwiched in a bread roll and smeared with chutneys.
These street foods are harder to find.
- Bombay Sandwich: Grilled sandwich with chutney spread. Found at Bombay Bakers.
- Frankie: Round flatbread that is fried, rolled into a tube, and stuffed with various fillings. Bombay Snack Bar and sibling Bombay Frankie have them. So does Bharuchi’s.
- Keema Pav: Bread rolls with a dip of curried minced meat. Bombay Snack Bar is the closest place to downtown Toronto that has this.
The food
Bombay Bakers don’t just make vegetarian snacks. They make eggless cakes and other pastries too. You know, like a regular bakery. I come here for the snacks though.
The papdi chaat was exemplary. Plump chickpeas, lots of papdi chips and boiled aloo (potato). Just enough chilli to give a kick.
The mint and tamarind chutneys were fresh. The yoghurt and red onions interplayed witheach other well. This is one of my top 3 favourite chaats in the Toronto region. My only nit is that they could have packaged the wet components separately for takeout because the whole thing became soggy by the time I brought it home. 8/10.
Vada pav is easy to make but difficult to do well. It’s such a simple snack: buns, potato patty, and chutney. I’ve rarely had it as good as I did at Bombay Bakers. The buns were fluffy and probably made in-house. The mint and garlic chutneys were just as fresh and bright.
Of course, the highlight of any vada pav has to be the vada (potato patty). I liked that they did not hold back on the spice. Too many vadas I’ve tried were weak in chilli content. This was a thick and robust patty, coated with a thin crispy shell. 8/10.
The place
Although Bombay Bakers is primarily a bakery, it also has a cafe space. The decor is a throwback to languid days in Mumbai, with a giant analogue clock and tiled walls.
Their cakes and pastries are displayed at the counter. Most people in the queue here are waiting for their snack orders. Special occasion cakes are pre-ordered and picked up at a separate entrance.
The cakes have a westernized Indian feel, down to the toys and decorations that can be placed on children’s birthday cakes.
Verdict
Exemplary Bombay street food, decent selection, outstanding value. 8/10.
Practical information
- Name
- Bombay Bakers
- Rating
- 8/10
- Recommended dishes
- Aloo papdi chaat
Bombay sandwich
Vada pav - Prices
- Aloo papdi chaat: $3.38 ($2.99 excluding tax)
Vada pav: $3.38 ($2.99 excluding tax) - Address
- 375 Howden Boulevard, Brampton
- Hours
- Monday 1100h – 1930h
Wednesday to Thursday 1100h – 1930h
Friday to Saturday 1100h – 2030h
Sunday 1100h – 1930h - Date of visit
- July 2021